Courtesy
by shizuru
Summary: This is a yaoi fic. ^^;;; About the two most polite bishounens in RK (in my humble opinion...) --;;;;
1. Courtesy 1

> COURTESY

> **WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS: Fic contains YAOI....well.. probably more like Shounen Ai. Contains characters I have no rights to. Standard fanfic disclaimers apply. I'm making NO profit whatsoever by writing this fic... (actually, I'm wasting a whole lot of time and money on the internet...--;;;;;)**
> 
> This is probably historically wrong...-_- I don't know much about Japanese culture..so if I make a really obvious mistake, please tell me (and don't laugh..T_T)
> 
> AU ficcie. Kaoru and Kenshin don't get married. -_-;; 
> 
> _The war is almost over_, Kenshin thought as he walked down the busy streets of Kyoto. And it was the festival time again. Strange that people still found it in themselves to celebrate after years of violence and chaos; perhaps it was a way of escaping, a way of staying sane through it all. It wouldn't be long until he could give up killing completely..
> 
> The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he felt the familiar sensation of being watched. He had been getting the feeling more and more frequently now. He looked around but as usual, saw no one suspicious. Kenshin wondered why the stalker had not made a move to kill him yet. Whoever he was, he was very good - Kenshin had found no clue of who it was no matter how hard he had tried in the last few months. It had gotten to a point where he wondered if he was just being paranoid.
> 
> He turned around and started to walk towards the inn he was staying at, only to stop short as a slim figure in a light blue haori stepped into his path.
> 
> "Good evening, Himura-san," the soft voice greeted him with a faint smile. 
> 
> Kenshin gripped the sheath of his katana with his left hand, tensing. If he wasn't careful, it would not be surprising if he never lived to see another day.
> 
> Okita ran the fingers over the hilt of his own katana, watching Kenshin with sorrowful eyes. 
> 
> "Himura-san.. I know the war is almost over..and we've..." he sighed. 
> 
> _You've lost_**,** Kenshin thought. _So give it up. Don't make me have to kill you._
> 
> "It's been a pleasure fighting against you all these years," Okita said, smiling sadly at him. 
> 
> Kenshin loosened his grip on his katana as Okita smiled at him again before bowing politely and disappearing into a dark alleyway. He wondered if he should chase after the Shinsengumi and try to kill him, but shook his head. It was the middle of a festival and the city needed a short break from the war. And it _was_ his night off after all..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kamiya dojo, Meiji 11
> 
> Saitou shuddered uncharacteristically as he tasted...miso soup? _Was_ it miso soup? He couldn't tell as he stared into the foggy liquid. What the hell had that raccoon woman put in it? If he didn't know that she was a pacifist, he would have been sure she was trying to kill him.
> 
> He looked up from the bowl to stare as Battousai proceeded to drink the damned thing. His respect for the former hitokiri's digestive system sky-rocketed.
> 
> "Maa.. Your cooking's getting better, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin exclaimed encouragingly as the raccoon girl's eyes became all starry. With disgust, Saitou turned his eyes to the rest of the group eating dinner with him. The fox woman, the ahou, the kid...and a couple of very annoying little girls. _And_ the chief of police, currently too polite to refuse the vile tasting food. And unfortunately, too polite to turn down the raccoon girl's invitation, like any sane person would, _should_ have done.
> 
> Kenshin smiled sweetly at everyone and as he took another sip. It never amazed Saitou how oblivious he was to all the fawning that went on around him - you would have thought that a person who can almost read another's mind though reading the opponent's ki _should_ be able to tell if a girl was hopelessly in love with him. Looking at the fox woman, he added silently, _Make that two. _Or perhaps the Battousai _did_ know..and it was just his way of politely turning down their love..but Saitou seriously doubted it. No matter how sharp Battousai was, there were things he was completely dense about, and love was one of them.
> 
> Putting his chopsticks down and completely giving up his attempt to eat the vile food - polite or not - Saitou reminisced about someone else who had loved the short red-head. The one person who was -Saitou was not ashamed to admit - stronger than himself, stronger than Battousai could have ever dreamed of being. _Okita_. He wondered if Battousai knew that he was alive now just because he had been _allowed_ to live - by Okita.
> 
> And the Ishin had been _allowed_ to win the war. Saitou didn't know whether he was upset about that. Okita had not really betrayed Shinsengumi. He had not fought wholeheartedly, especially against Battousai..but was that enough to label him a traitor?  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaoru rushed to the dojo, muttering 'Kenshin no baka' under her breath as Kenshin did his best to catch up with her with Megumi clamped on his arms. 
> 
> "Kaoru-dono! Please wait!" he called, hoping that she would save him from the clinging Megumi.
> 
> Kaoru did stop a few yards from the dojo's front gate. Kenshin followed her gaze to see a woman standing in front of the dojo, dressed in a light blue kimono. The figure turned to face them and they all held their breath. She was beautiful!
> 
> Long black hair framed her delicate face with large round eyes. The full pink lips curved into a faint smile as she walked towards them.
> 
> "Himura-san." She said softly. Kenshin's eyes widened. He _knew_ that voice! Now only if he could remember where he'd heard it before. She stopped a couple of feet away from him, scrutinizing him. "You don't recognize me.." she said after a few moments of silence. 
> 
> "Ah..Sumanu..." Kenshin said.
> 
> "It's alright, Himura-san. It's been a long time and I've changed and.... Oh..I'm being rude. Let me introduce myself first," she said, seeing that Kaoru and Megumi were staring at her with barely concealed curiosity. "My name is Souji...and I've met Himura-san during the Bakumatsu."
> 
> Kenshin pondered, flushing, ashamed that he just couldn't seem to remember. In fact, he couldn't really remember any women other than Tomoe and some innkeepers from Bakumatsu. Souji looked.. Kenshin couldn't tell how old she was. At the first glance, she looked young enough - almost as young as Kaoru - but something in her eyes told him that she was much older than that. He hadn't been one to frequent brothels and such..and she did seem a little to elegant to have been a prostitute although he was noticing subtle wears in her clothes now that he was observing her more carefully.
> 
> Souji chuckled as Kenshin remained silent, obviously amused at Kenshin's embarrassment in not being able to remember her. Kenshin flushed darker as he wondered if there was a note of sadness in her laughter.
> 
> "Souji-dono.." Kenshin said, willing himself to remember. She did seem familiar..but where? 
> 
> "Battousai." A low voice called out behind him. Kenshin turned to see Saitou walking towards him. "I need you to come to the police station and bail out your drunken chicken head friend..." Saitou stopped talking as he saw Souji. For a few seconds, Saitou and Souji merely stared at each other as Souji smiled gently, a little uncertainly. Saitou's eyes widened.
> 
> "You..You're..." All eyes focused on Saitou as he stuttered. They had never seen the cop shocked enough to stutter before. 
> 
> "Souji," she interrupted him. "Saitou-san? It's a pleasure to meet you again." 
> 
> Saitou was silent as he stared dumbstruck at Souji. And then a corner of his lips lifted. "Souji, eh? Yes. I do remember that was your name... And it's about time you came to visit Himura." Saitou grinned as he turned the tables for Okita (i.e.. Okita Souji. -_-;;) for shocking him so much. "You _did_ love him, after all."
> 
> Three pairs of shocked eyes turned to Okita as he/she (I'll use 'he' from now on. -_-;;) blushed prettily.
> 
> "What happened? I thought you died of consumption (tuberculosis)?" Saitou raised an eyebrow.
> 
> "Ah.. anou.. I was one of those few fortunate people who are able to fight off the disease. It is unfortunate that many people were misinformed..that I had died."
> 
> _And no doubt convenient_, Saitou thought, _with so many people out to get the Shinsengumi's blood at the end of the war._
> 
> "Ah... Souji-san." Kaoru interrupted Saitou's train of thought. "Why don't you come in? If you knew Kenshin and Saitou from Bakumatsu, I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on." 
> 
> "Thank you..uh...."
> 
> "Kaoru. I'm Kamiya Kaoru..and this here," Kaoru forcefully pulled Megumi off Kenshin's arm, "is Tanaki Megumi..but you can call her the 'fox-woman' like your friend Saitou does."
> 
> Okita raised his eyebrows at Saitou who merely shrugged. 
> 
> After they were all seated at the dojo with steaming cups of tea in their hands, Megumi pulled Kaoru to the side. 
> 
> "What do you think you're doing?" Megumi whispered.
> 
> "What do you mean?" Kaoru whispered back, innocently.
> 
> "You can't be _that_ naiive. Come on. Spit it out. It's bad enough when _we_ fight over Ken-san."
> 
> Kaoru smiled. "It's obvious that you're not a warrior. Don't you know the first thing about strategic planning? Know your enemies..well.. rivals in this case. Keep them where you can watch them..and you'll win the war."
> 
> Megumi snorted. "Good luck. You'll need more than strategic planning in _this_ case." She glanced at Okita. "She's...different. I wonder why she never got together with Ken-san."
> 
> "Maybe she met him while he was still married to Tomoe," Kaoru said. "How she could have also known Saitou, I have no idea." She thought for a while. "It's hard to believe she loved him though.. She looks so young."
> 
> They watched as Kenshin sat uncomfortably and Saitou told Souji what he had been doing in the last ten years. It was obvious that Kenshin still couldn't remember who Souji was.
> 
> "Maybe she was Saitou's lover..and that's why she couldn't get together with Ken-san." Megumi suggested, giggling. "Oh..I just bet it was a love triangle..and that's why Saitou's so keen on fighting Ken-san. Unresolved matters of love, no doubt."
> 
> "You're dreaming it, Megumi." Kaoru giggled too. "That's so absurd. We should just ask her how she met Kenshin...and maybe that'll help Kenshin remember her."
> 
> "Hey you two - stop whispering about us." Saitou said. 
> 
> "We weren't talking about you," Megumi feigned innocence. 
> 
> "That's hard to believe considering that you've been darting glances at us every few seconds." Saitou snorted.
> 
> "Uh... Souji-san." Kaoru scooted closer to Kenshin, almost possessively. "Could you put Kenshin out of his misery and tell him how you two met? Perhaps that'll help him remember..."
> 
> Okita looked at Kenshin who was watching him with intense eyes. They had both changed so much..and yet... they were still the same..in some ways.. 
> 
> "I met Himura-san around the time he was fifteen.." Okita smiled warmly with memory. "If you don't mind saying so, Himura-san... you've grown up."
> 
> That had been another thing puzzling Kaoru. "If you don't mind _me_ asking, could you tell us how old you are? I mean...you look very young...but if you'd known Kenshin during Bakumatsu..."
> 
> "I'm thirty-three." Everyone except Saitou face faulted. 
> 
> "Do you practice Hiten-Mitsurugi Ryu?" Kaoru asked jokingly when she had composed herself.
> 
> "No..Why?"
> 
> "It's just that.. you're the only one other than Kenshin and his master who doesn't seem to age! How do you do it?"
> 
> Okita looked slightly embarrassed. "I guess I _am_ kinda old."
> 
> It was Kaoru's turn to look embarrassed. "No. That's not what I mean.. I mean.. Uh... I'm making a mess of it..." She grimaced. "You just look like you're in your early twenties.. I would have thought Megumi was older than you."
> 
> "Don't worry. I don't mind.." Okita said. "As for how I met Himura-san...well... he tried to kill me."
> 
> There was a collective gasp among the group. Saitou calmly lit a cigarette, enjoying everyone's shock.
> 
> "I'm so sorry, Souji-dono." Kenshin said, truly ashamed now.
> 
> "No.. Don't be sorry. You were doing your job...and I was...doing mine. We were on the wrong sides believing different things...but that wasn't uncommon during those times, no?"
> 
> "So, Kenshin," Kaoru said, trying to be genki and lift the sagging mood. "Do you remember who she is now?"
> 
> Kenshin looked chagrined. "Anou..eto... no."
> 
> Saitou chuckled. "Don't worry, Battousai. After all, you tried to kill a _lot_ of people. What's one more that you can't remember?"
> 
> Kaoru turned to Saitou in anger. "You!! How can you say such cruel things?!!! And how do you know her anyway?"
> 
> Saitou took a long drawl on his cigarette. "I guess we were pretty close, Souji and I." And to everyone's astonishment, he _winked_ at Okita. "We spent almost every day together.."
> 
> Kaoru was getting a very scary feeling that Megumi just may have been right.
> 
> "But..." Kenshin sputtered. "You were _married_." 
> 
> Saitou raised one eyebrow at him. "Yes? So?"
> 
> Kaoru clamped her hands over her ears. "I'm NOT hearing this!!!!!"
> 
> "Saitou-san. You shouldn't tease them like that.." Okita spoke out, trying to calm everyone.
> 
> "What? I only spoke the truth." Saitou said, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "In fact, I believe I have some...unfinished business with Souji. I would like to borrow...her... from you for a little while, if you don't mind."
> 
> With that, Saitou stood up and offered a hand to Okita. With polite good-byes from Okita and an amused smirk from Saitou, the two were gone.
> 
> Kaoru shook her head as if she was in a bad dream. "I can't believe this. You were right, Megumi."
> 
> For once, Megumi was speechless. 
> 
> The two women turned to Kenshin who was still muttering something about Saitou having a wife. Shaking their heads, they shooed the confused rurouni off to bed before retiring themselves. They had a lot to think about.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In the privacy of Saitou's office, he examined Okita more closely.
> 
> "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, almost nonchalant. Almost.
> 
> "Ah..Saitou-san. I heard a rumor that he's in this area..and I just wanted to see him again..just for a little while."
> 
> Saitou fingered the collar of Okita's kimono. 
> 
> "Why dressed like this, though? And looking at the wears on this kimono, this is obviously not your first time."
> 
> Okita blushed. "Well.. it's a very convenient disguise - people are less suspicious of women and more willing to lend a room to a female wanderer. And..I didn't want to risk _him_ recognizing me." He paused, thinking for a while. "Although deep down, I guess I did want him to remember me. I could have just acted as we've never met before."
> 
> "No. It's good that you told him you've met before. He does recognize you a little bit and he would have been suspicious if you told him you've never met before. He just can't place you as the one of the captains of Shinsengumi - and I can't say I blame him." Saitou smirked. "It's scary, but you do look good this way."
> 
> Okita sweat-dropped. "Thank you, Saitou-san." 
> 
> *to be continued.*  
  
  



	2. Courtesy 2

Fukagawa

> COURTESY
> 
> WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS: This fic contains yaoi..as well as characters whom I have no rights to. (I just love them...^^;;;) Standard disclaimers apply. Please do not sue me as I am making no profit on this fic, not to mention that I am very poor and in debt. Even if I were to sell all my belongings, I wouldn't be able to pay off all my loans. -_-;;;;;

> Saitou wisely froze as a slender kitchen knife imbedded itself in the wall near his head. His wife had a jealous streak. 
> 
> Oh... I'm sorry, Hajime-san. My hands must have slipped. 
> 
> His little wife Tokio, looking as beautiful as always, pulled the knife off the wall and bowed politely to Okita standing next to him. "I did not know my husband was bringing a guest...but welcome. I will prepare dinner immediately." 
> 
> As she turned to the kitchen, a soft voice stopped her. Good-evening, Tokio-san, Okita bowed lightely, hardly batting an eyelash from the scene he had just witnessed. I see your aim is as good as it always has been."
> 
> Tokio regarded the short ex-Shinsengumi with a puzzled expression on her face. When Okita remained silent, she turned to look at her husband with a questioning look that clearly said _am I supposed to know her?_
> 
> "Souji," Saitou whispered to his wife.
> 
> "Souji?" she repeated the name. It was a common name..and she couldn't remember if she'd known anyone by it before.
> 
> Saitou cleared his throat. "Okita Souji," he clarified.
> 
> With a gasp, Tokio turned to Okita who was blushing slightly. "Okita-san?" Okita nodded. 
> 
> Tokio stared silently at Okita, taking in his blue kimono and all. And then she swept him into a hug. Saitou watched as the two beautiful 'women' hugged each other. After a few moments, Tokio let him go with a beautiful smile on her face. 
> 
> Saitou grinned. "So.. I may not bring a woman home for dinner but you may hug another man?" he chided his wife with amusement. He knew that Tokio had a tendency to mother Okita, despite being even younger than Okita was. 
> 
> Tokio waved him off. "Oh phoo. You have nothing to worry about. Who would want an ugly middle aged woman like me?" she said, smiling good-naturedly.
> 
> Saitou's gaze ran over his wife, his eyes cleary saying that he disagreed with the ugly part and that _he_ would definitely want her. 
> 
> "Besides," she went on, "if I remember correctly, Okita-san was already interested in someone." She looked at Okita with eyes that often saw too much, eyes that gave her character beyond just a pretty face. "That is why you're here...dressed this way... is it not, Okita-san?" she asked softly.
> 
> Okita nodded. 
> 
> Saitou narrowed his eyes as his wife smiled a truly pleased smile. She only got that smile when she was planning things - things that she probably should not involve herself in...but did so anyway despite his _better_ judgement.
> 
> "Okita-san. You must allow me to help you. You're finally going after the one you love... and from what I know of Himura-san, we must strategize."
> 
> Okita cleared his throat. "Well.. I'm not really 'going after' him, Tokio-san. I just wanted to see him and see how he is doing..."
> 
> Tokio waved him off. "Of course you _are_ going after him, Okita-san. It is the way things should be." She smiled a little sadly. "It is the way things should have been for years..." She brightened again. "But we'll fix all that, yes? Let's see if any of my kimonos will fit you. I have recently bought some beautiful silk ones...." She led Okita away chattering about kimonos and obis and other such womanly things.
> 
> Saitou, having watched all this, took a deep drag on his cigarette. It seemed like that dinner would be a long time in coming... 
> 
>   
  
  
  
  
Sano picked up an acorn and threw it at a certain redheaded rurouni. 
> 
> "Oro~~~" Kenshin turned from his bucket of laundry, rubbing his head. "Sano. How are you?"
> 
> Sano sulked. "I would have been a bit better if I hadn't spent the last 24 hours in jail with puking drunks. What happened? Saitou left saying he'll get you to bail me out and never came back."
> 
> Kenshin sweatdropped. "Anou.. we got a little side-tracked. There was a visitor last night."
> 
> Sano raised an eyebrow. "A visitor who can side-track that psycho cop? The nothing-gets-in-the-way-of-my-duty ex Shinsengumi?"
> 
> Kenshin nodded. At that moment, Megumi poked her head out of the dojo. She had come to the dojo earlier that day to discuss (or more like gossip) about the mysterious Souji-san with Kaoru.
> 
> "She's Saitou's ex-lover," Megumi claimed. 
> 
> As Sano's jaw dropped, Kenshin waved his arms around in protest. "Maa... Megumi-san. You don't know that for sure."
> 
> "Oh." Megumi said thoughtfully, "Maybe she was Ken-san's lover instead. She seems to love Ken-san as well."
> 
> Sano whirled to face the red-faced redhead, his jaw dropping further. 
> 
> Kenshin sweat-dropped. "You don't know that either, Megumi-san."
> 
> Megumi threw up her hands. "Well! What am I supposed to think when she says she loved Ken-san since he was fifteen but has Saitou saying that they spent every day together? And actually _winking_ at her?"
> 
> Kenshin walked over to Sano and helped him close his mouth before his jaw became unhinged. 
> 
> After a few moments of letting that sink in, Sano opened his mouth. "I want to see this person." _She must not be human if she was Saitou Hajime's _and_ the Hitokiri Battousai's lover_, he thought. "Where is she?"
> 
> "You'll have to ask Saitou. He went with her to _talk_ and we haven't seen them since." Megumi grinned one of her foxy grins. 
> 
> Sano nodded and left in search of the cop.  
  
  
  
  
  
Saitou was back in his office by the time Sano got to the police station. 
> 
> "You're out of jail. Please tell me you did not break any bars on your way out." Saitou said as he took a long drag on his cigarette. 
> 
> "No, damn you. I just threatened to break bars until the guard called the chief of police and he let me out." Sano grinned. "So what's this I hear about your ex-lover?"
> 
> Saitou raised an eyebrow. "_My_ ex-lover?"
> 
> Sano shrugged. "Or Kenshin's ex-lover. Whatever."
> 
> "Is your brain usually this fried or are you unusually stupid today?" Saitou ground his cigarette butt and lit a new one. "If you have time to meddle in other peoples' business like some old woman, go home and count how many brain cells you have left."
> 
> "Hey you take that back you bast---"
> 
> At that moment, the door to the office opened and Okita entered balancing a tea tray in his hands. He was wearing one to Tokio's kimonos. A dark green silk with gold butterflies on the obi and looking very pretty and very much feminine. 
> 
> "Pardon me, Saitou-san. I did not know you had a guest." He smiled at Sano and bowed politely before facing Saitou again. "Tokio-san thought we should talk if you're not too busy. I will wait outside." After putting the tray in front of Saitou, he turned to leave but Sano caught his wrist.
> 
> "Wait. Are you Saitou's ex-lover?"
> 
> Saitou grimaced and Okita sweatdropped at Sano's tactless bluntness. "No, sir." Okita replied, tugging his hand free.
> 
> "Are you Kenshin's ex-lover then?" 
> 
> Okita sweatdropped more. "No.
> 
> "Then what are you?" Sano asked, confused.
> 
> Okita raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. What are _you_?"
> 
> Saitou interrupted before Sano could speak. "Souji. Don't waste your time answering him. He's too dumb to appreciate your sense of humor."
> 
> Sano glared at Saitou. "Hey! I resent that!"
> 
> Saitou gave a do-I-look-like-I-care look. 
> 
> "You're more bitchy than usual today," Sano grumbled. "What.. your wife kicked you out for having an affair or something?"
> 
> Saitou started to retort to that but stopped. It was true that he was a bit irritated today because his wife had been too occupied with Okita last night. The dinner had been very late. And more importantly, _he hadn't gotten any last night_. 
> 
> Saitou narrowed his eyes at Sano. The boy can be so annoyingly astute sometimes. He smirked at the thought. Yeah. About as astute as a blundering fool walking backwards and stepping on a gold mine. 
> 
> Sano grinned. "Am I right or what?" 
> 
> Saitou waved them away. "Souji. I'll talk to you after I finish looking at this pile of documents. Why don't you go visit Himura until then? I'm sure that's what Tokio _really_ wanted me to tell you." He turned to Sano. "And you, ahou. Go and occupy your pea-sized brain with your own business."
> 
> He sighed as Okita and Sano left. He could hear Sano swearing through the closed door. No doubt Okita was trying to calm him down. Life was going to be interesting for the next little while to say the least....
> 
> -to be continued.
> 
> sorry this part was late. dammed real life getting in the way. -_-;;; 


	3. Courtesy 3

_ Standard disclaimers: Rurouni Kenshin not mine. Me poor. Don't sue. Shounen-ai. -_-;;;   
  
_   
  
  
  
So it happened that Okita and Sano arrived at the Kamiya Kassin Ryu dojo together. Kenshin was nowhere to be seen but Yahiko who was sweeping the front yard grumbled something about a 'hag' and 'tofu', so they assumed that he had gone to buy tofu with Kaoru again.   
  
Seeing that the residents of the house were not present, Sano happily played host and offered tea to Okita, which they drank on the front porch. After all, it wasn't everyday that a man got to offer tea to a girl who was not only pretty, but non-abusive as well. With a grimace, he thought of the 'other women in his life': currently at a grand total of two - Kaoru and Megumi. Both violent. Both in his life but not quite his. He had to admit that his love life has gone down to almost nil since he'd given up on his gangster days and joined up with the Kenshin-gumi.   
  
"So, your name is Souji," Sano said, trying to make small talk. "It's a pretty name... although a little boyish."   
  
Okita only smiled.   
  
"So...do you have a last name?" Sano continued.   
  
"Harumasa. Harumasa Souji." Okita said. (author's note: Okita Souji's real name is Harumasa Souji. ^^)   
  
"So..." Sano scratched his head. The small talk wasn't going well. He couldn't believe it, but he was almost wishing that Souji chattered like all the other women he'd known in his life. "So..." He began again, "How old are you?"   
  
"I am thirty-three." Okita said, smiling serenely.   
  
"Oh. That's nice..." Sano said, distracted by the smile, "So you're thirty-three. I'm... _ You're WHAT?!!!!"_ Sano jumped as what Okita said hit him.   
  
"Thirty-three." Okita repeated, not blinking an eye. "Is something wrong?"   
  
"Yes. I mean. No. Sorry. Uh..." Sano blinked. Thoughts flashed through his head. _ Way too old for me. Way too old._ But he should have expected it, he realized. _If Souji had been with Kenshin or Saitou during Bakumatsu.... Unless they were pedophiles... _   
  
At that time Kenshin and Kaoru returned to the dojo, Kenshin carrying his bucket of tofu as always and Kaoru looking very pretty in her white kimono with azaleas patterns in red thread. It wasn't very often that Kaoru dressed like a woman and Sano could only assume that she was trying harder now that Souji was there as competition. Not that Kenshin really noticed, Sano thought. Perhaps it was living so close to Death for so many years but the rurouni seemed completely oblivious to outward appearances in people. It was probably why Kenshin was always able to see the true nature of people, be it friends or enemies, regardless of their outward appearance. What aspects about women really caught Kenshin's interests...Sano doubted that even Kenshin himself knew.   
  
Okita watched as Kenshin smiled brilliantly at Kaoru, asking her what she would like for dinner. As a couple, they looked perfect. Red hair contrasting with black, Kenshin standing a little taller than Kaoru (which couldn't be said of most women), the easy friendship and warmth obvious between them. Irritated at the slight twinge of jealousy but still unable to keep on watching them together, Okita turned away to watch the little boy practice. _The boy has potential, _he thought, and grinned as Yahiko's face got redder and redder the more he stared at him.   
  
Kenshin turned to Okita, intending to ask him to stay for dinner, and felt a slight uneasiness. There was a _ look _in the way Okita was watching Yahiko, the look that he had seen in his master's eyes countless times. Sharp eyes measuring up their target with almost brutal clarity. As if feeling Kenshin's gaze, Okita looked back at Kenshin and Kenshin fought back a tremor, his uneasiness growing.   
  
"Yes?" Okita said, softly.   
  
"Uh.. Souji-dono. Kaoru and I would be very pleased if you could join us for dinner.." Kenshin said, looking down at his toes... wondering why he couldn't face Souji now when he'd faced countless foes who were much more intimidating without fear.   
  
_Kaoru and I..._ Okita thought, biting his lower lip. It was probably just as well. Wasn't that what he'd told Tokio-san? That he just wanted to see Kenshin after such a long time? "I probably shouldn't stay. It seems I've already imposed too much..."   
  
"Oh, don't be silly, Souji-san." Kaoru interrupted, grinning cheerfully. "We haven't had visitors for a while and it's nice to have someone other than Sano as a guest for a change. If..." Kaoru challenged mischeviously, "If you feel up to eating Kenshin's cooking again, that is..."   
  
Okita figured that he'd never been one to pass up a challenge.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okita gasped and startled awake from a nightmare to find himself sitting against a wall of the dark dojo. He grimaced at the pain in his head. Around him were the rest of the Kenshin-gumi in various sitting and lying positions, all asleep. Kenshin was sitting against the adjacent wall, also seemingly asleep...with Kaoru lying at his feet. Okita rubbed his head. It wasn't often he had nightmares. After all, the war had been over for a decade. But some things were difficult to forget.   
  
He walked to the door, needing fresh air. He supposed that he should be ashamed of drinking the extra bit of sake, especially knowing that he had very little tolerance for the stuff. But as he watched Kaoru get drunk and lean more and more heavily against Kenshin sitting beside her, it had gotten harder to resist the temptation of alcohol. And now the dinner invitation had somehow gotten extended to a group sleep-over.   
  
Okita sat on a corner of the porch, looking at the stars. He always looked at the stars after a nightmare...a habit he'd acquired years ago. He felt Kenshin walk up to him and sit a couple of feet away, but he didn't look down from the sky.   
  
"Souji-san." Kenshin whispered when Okita didn't acknowledge his presence.   
  
Okita kept staring at the dark night sky, splattered with countless glittering stars. "Himura-san..." he whispered back. "Do you believe that when people die, they become stars in heaven?"   
  
Kenshin thought for a while. "That's what...Sakura-san... used to tell me when I was a child. She wanted to comfort me, I think. She said that the ones you love become the stars when they die. She wanted me to believe that my parents were looking down at me from the heaven."   
  
Okita smiled. "And was it comforting?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
There was a silence... and then Okita said, "My mother used to tell me the same thing. Except...I think she forgot to say _"loved" _ones. She just said that people become stars in heaven when they die."   
  
Kenshin pondered the significance of the word. _Loved._ A lot of people he had known had died. How many of them had he loved?   
  
"...You had a nightmare." Kenshin said after a while.   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Do you have them often?" Kenshin asked, concerned.   
  
"No...." Okita smiled. "And I don't mind them so much. It feels like...an occasional reminder to look at the stars and remember all the people from the past." Okita lowered his head. "And sometimes, I wonder what they must be thinking as they watch down on me. Even the loved ones. I've done some horrible things in my life."   
  
Kenshin looked at the stars a little more closely. If Tomoe was watching him now.... along with all the other people he had killed... He grimaced.   
  
"I'm sorry. I'm being overly sentimental and I really shouldn't do that to you." Okita smiled wanly. "It's probably the aftereffects of sake."   
  
"I..." Kenshin paused, thinking. "I think... even if all the people I've killed were to look down on me with contempt... I wish what Sakura-san had told me was true. If Tomoe was watching me..." He smiled faintly. "It's like... I would face any number of enemies and risk the wrath of the world if I could see her again... perhaps it's my selfishness..."   
  
"Tomoe...." Okita curled up on himself, wrapping his arms around his bent knees. "She was your wife?"   
  
"Yes." Kenshin seemed lost in his thoughts.   
  
_And you loved her so much. _Okita sighed, a painful squeeze in his chest. _And I already decided to give up, remember? Just watching him should be enough. I must deserve at least that much... even with all the sins I've committed... _   
  
They sat in silence, each of them thinking of their lost youth and love. They were very much similar. Okita's willingness to give up his love. Kenshin's ability to accept his loss. Fate had been unkind and they were so accustomed to it that they no longer noticed.   
  
Then there was a slightest whisper of a sound...perhaps the sound of a wind, hardly discernable. But both men stiffened. Stark silence followed and neither said anything.   
  
In the darkness outside the walls surrounding the yard, a figure leaned against a tree and smiled. The sound had been intentional. _ That'll give them something to think about...._   
  
  
  
~ to be continued. 


	4. Courtesy 4

Megumi walked into the dojo the next day, looking very grand. Perhaps her grandeur was mostly due to her height, putting her above everyone at the dojo except Sano. But there was something in her bearing that put even Sano to shame. Confidence of a woman taking up a challenge. And there was a new challenge. She couldn't possibly stay away while Souji and Kaoru were spending so much time with Kenshin!   
  
Kenshin smiled brightly at Megumi in greeting and Okita felt an urge to go to him, grab his skull, and turn his head away from the woman. Instead, Okita leaned his still aching head on a cool brick wall and started to bash his head on it lightly as he watched.   
  
Okita could almost **_see_** the foxy ears on Megumi as she held on to Kenshin's arm while Kaoru alternated from turning purple to red with rage. Okita noted that Kenshin, while blushing, made no effort to shake her off. It was evident that while Megumi acted like a complete floozy sometimes in front of Kenshin, she still demanded the kind of respect and admiration from Kenshin that were rare in women. **_Do not think of them as competition_**, Okita thought, bashing his head a little harder on the brick wall. Stopping, Okita noticed that Yahiko was staring at him as if he was mad...and gave a wan smile in return, grinning wider as Yahiko turned red and looked away.   
  
"Ken-san's always been such a man," Megumi purred. "It's no wonder there are three women hanging onto him." She grinned wickedly as she shot a glance at Sano. "Unlike some immature boys who keep hanging around..."   
  
Sano growled at the challenge. "You just like him because he saved your sorry ass. If everyone Kenshin saved was as shameless as you, this dojo would be full of idiotic simpering women."   
  
"Since all of you are here, why don't we go to Akebeko to have lunch?" Kaoru suggested, her temper barely in check. The last thing she needed bickering between Sano and Megumi...   
  
"What? Burnt lunch again?" Megumi snickered.   
  
"Maa maa.." Kenshin stepped in between the two women before things got worse. "That's a great idea, Kaoru-dono. And I'm sure Yahiko would love to see Tsubame too."   
  
Yahiko, who had been lost in thoughts, jumped at the mention of his name. He had been thinking that the Souji woman was completely crazy. Why else would she be hitting her **own** head on the wall? As if any additional proof of her insanity was needed after Saitou all but admitted that they had been lovers. Yahiko hadn't been there when Saitou had said it, but any woman who would put up with, much less **_love_**, the psycho cop had to be more than a little psycho herself. And there was that unnerving feeling he felt whenever she looked at him. The closest he could define the feeling was fear... and he didn't appreciate Kenshin mentioning Tsumbame in front of the mad woman. God only knew what she would do to helpless Tsubame!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Akebeko was as crowded as usual when they entered.   
  
"I'm afraid there are no empty tables," Tsubame said, "But Tokio-san is here. If you would like, I'll ask if she would mind you joining her."   
  
So it was that all the Kenshin-gumi ended up sitting with Tokio, none of them having met her before except for Okita and Kenshin.   
  
"So you're the psycho cop's wife." Sano-said in his usual tactlessness, followed by a discreet kick on his shin by Megumi under the table.   
  
"I am Tokio Saitou. It is very nice to meet you." Tokio said, politely. "And nice to see you again, Souji-san."   
  
"So you know each other?" Kaoru asked.   
  
"Yes... Souji-san is an old friend of my husband."   
  
At that moment, Tsubame tripped on a small rock, sending the ordered food flying. In the next instant, the Kenshin-gumi watched wide-eyed as Kenshin and Okita quickly intercepted all the bowls before they tipped and gently placed them on the table. Tokio calmly took a sip of her tea.   
  
Sano started to clap as Yahiko narrowed his eyes. "That was great, Souji-san," Sano exclaimed. "Do you practice any martial arts?"   
  
"I...just cook a lot, that's all..." Souji mumbled, damning his reflexes.   
  
"Well. I guess that means only Kaoru can't cook amongst us." Megumi snickered.   
  
"That's why Kenshin likes her the most," Yahiko claimed, feeling defensive of Kaoru. He sent Okita a glare. "If there's one thing Kenshin likes, it's being needed and being able to help. I mean.. how would he be able to pay for his keep at the dojo if he wasn't even needed for house chores?"   
  
There was a murmur of consensus amongst the people at the table.   
  
_**But that's not all, is it?**_ Kenshin wondered. _**I'm not just... attached to Kaoru because I feel needed, do I? There are other people who need me... and I don't leave her to help them, do I? Except to save Japan from Shishio, of course... Because Japan needed me... needed me more than she did.. but that was for a whole bloody (excuse the language) country.... **_   
  
  
  
  
  
  
A few tables away, a man observed the Kenshin-gumi silently. If there was something that he had learned during Bakumatsu, and especially after Bakumatsu, it was being invisible... Invisible in the crowd... Invisible in the dark.. there were many ways and he was good at it. Invisible and watching, patiently...   
  
A corner of his lips lifted slightly in a smile. He really was not the stalker type. If only he wasn't so very good at it, he probably would have given it up long ago. Once his life had depended on it. As it was, he hardly stalked people anymore since his job and life did not depend on it. But he was still good. And the group was so amusing to watch...   
  
And she... she smiled at Himura Battousai with such faith. Such innocent faith..   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saitou found his wife surrounded by idiots...in his opinion, of course. Ah. Must make an exception for Souji for Souji had never been an idiot. Until recently, of course. He let out a sigh of disgust as he observed Okita join the raccoon and the fox in gazing adoringly at Battousai. His only consolation was that Okita snapped out of it as he approached the table.   
  
"Saitou-san," Okita smiled.   
  
"I am here to pick up my wife." Saitou ignored the beings of lesser intelligence (in his opinion, again) and helped his wife up.   
  
Eventually, he threw a disgusted look at the rurouni as the sound of _Maaa.. Maaa_ escalated. The racoon woman and the fox woman were both trying to serve food and drinks to the rurouni and becoming more hostile towards each other by the second.   
  
"You've always been wishy-washy, Battousai," Saitou commented as he lit his cigarette. "Taking forever to figure out what you want. You wanted revolution without the violence. You want to fight killers without killing anyone. You want friendship without the responsibility so you can leave to fight for justice at the drop of a hat without guilt. Always the ideal without the unpleasantness that comes with it." He faced Kenshin, looking at the two women around him. "Perhaps you should make up your mind, Battousai. These women are not going to wait for you forever. In your attempt not to offend either, you're being unintentionally cruel to keep both hanging."   
  
With that said, Saitou left with his wife.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Again. Very sorry that I'm writing this so slowly. I have made outline of t he whole fic so I know I'll finish it... just don't know exactly when. Looking at the outline, it seems the fic will be about 7-9 chapters.   
  
-shizuru 


End file.
